∼ Embodiment ∼

Chapter - 102

Toppling over, a loud boom shook the cavern, stalactites and rubble falling from the ceiling in a hail of debris. The golem groaned, having just fallen over with cracks and fist-sized indent riddling its body as it slowly regenerated.

Battered, bloodied, and beaten, Nyx stood by the mouth of the cavern. He too had seen some damage, the setting sun silhouetting his abused body. Nevertheless, his face donned a bright, bloody smile. This body. This strength. It was brilliant. It was intoxicating.

For gods' sake, he was fighting a golem; hand-to-fucking-hand. A golem. A fifteen feet tall monstrosity of solid rock. And he was winning...

Well... he wasn't actually sure he was winning. Couldn't really gauge how much was left in the elemental's tank. After all, he had been beating on this monster for nearly an hour straight without it suffering any real damage that wasn't just regenerated over the course of a couple of minutes. But besides his broken ribs... knuckles... and he was pretty sure blood was leaking out in places blood never should...

He was all good.

Nyx shook his bruised and swollen hand. Having taken advantage of the terrain to trip the elemental had still come at a cost. This couldn't go on for much longer. Although this was a one-sided beat down, Nyx had ended up doing more damage to himself than the golem had just by attacking it.

But he had wanted to see his new body's limitations. And the word 'limitations' seemed not to be in the vocabulary of the Vainlord. Nevertheless, all of his hard work - the incessant pummeling of a rock - had proven less than fruitful. Shocker, he knows... And while the golem looked worse for wear, he knew it would keep regenerating its stone body at a slow and steady pace. Faster than he could destroy it. Nyx could only wonder how much health it had or if it even had any, to begin with.

On the bright side though, the mana within it had dulled significantly, and Nyx had a suspicion that only as long it had that mana, it would keep regenerating. But based on how long it had taken already to simply get to this point, he knew that wouldn't be able to keep it up for long enough. At least, doing it this way he wouldn't.

Checking his mana, Nyx confirmed that it had mostly regenerated to full. Being sparse with his spells and taking the time to let it passively restore his stores, he had managed to recover it after the extensive testing of his new trait [Arcanic Rake]. And now that he had truly gotten a feel for his new body, there was only one thing on the agenda he was missing. What also hopefully could put an end to this fight.

Mana started to roil within Nyx, turning his core into a small maelstrom that fed mana into the spell he was casting. The amount of energy spinning around was more than he had ever used before in one go. And not by a little. But even as the spell was forming, the runes etched in his mind taking shape along the skin of his body as if tattoos, his body began changing.

His muscles bulged, mana surging to every inch of him. From head to toe. Arms elongating, fists enlarging, tail bulking up - it was as painful as it was invigorating. But most of all, he felt himself brimming with raw power. More than ever before. [Embody] was better than he could've possibly imagined. He had assumed the form of his familiar, gaining a massive boost to strength and dexterity. Although it was only a partial bonus of Fisty's at the skill's current level, the change was significant.

Status Information

Attributes Name Nyx Health 350/350 STR 40 (36) END 5 Race Vainlord Stamina 72/72 DEX 20 (19) INT 52 Level 25 - (0%) Mana 18/18 (20*) VIT 14 CHR 8 Class Main-Class Warlock (Demoniac) Rank Adept Grade Epic Sub-Class None Rank None Grade None Traits Arcanic Rake - (Racial), Air of the Herald - (Nobility), Demonhide - (Racial), Fire Resistance - (Racial), Mark of Pride - (Demonism), Monstrous Subjugation - (Racial Trait) Titles Herald of Pride - (Nobility), Slayer of Humans (Slayer) Skills Demonbolt - [Peak], Demonic Halo - [Inferior], Drain - [Moderate], Embody - [Inferior], Inspect - [Inferior], Impfire - [Moderate], Summon Familiar - [Moderate], Wither - [Moderate] Masteries Proficiencies

Techniques Demonology - [Superior], Hand-to-Hand Combat - [Peak], Mana Manipulation - [Superior], Riding - [Inferior], Words of Power - [Moderate] None

Five attribute points in exchange for fifteen points of mana and severe strain on his mana channels didn't seem like much at first glance. However, that was far from the only thing [Embody] did. He had truly assumed the form of Fisty. The new and improved Fisty. Not only meaning his every single strength point meant more in the grand scheme of things, but this bonus was merely a 'minor' one. Ten percent of a stat could quickly become a lot. Not to mention how it would increase. Just how much was a 'medium' bonus? What about a 'major' bonus? Or even... an 'extreme' bonus?

The possibilities. The raw potential of this skill... was immense.

Nyx was lost in his thoughts when the warm glare of the sun suddenly seemed to disappear. However, his danger sense kicked in and his instincts took over. Just in time to avoid the approaching boulder headed straight for him. Having retreated fully out of the cavern now, Nyx saw the golem behind the settling dust. It had finally gotten back its lumbering legs. Now throwing boulders of all things. It appeared it has had enough of him, patience having worn thin - and that was saying a lot for what was essentially a sentient rock...

But Nyx wasn't focused on that. Rather, he watched with interest as the golem made another boulder by literally scoping it out of the ground. It was as if the stone itself melded to its touch. The process was oddly satisfying, and Nyx would've kept watching if it wasn't for the second boulder already heading his way.

Nyx's muscles curled, ready to unleash the stored power at a moment's notice. Even with just a single point in dexterity and a handful more in strength, he truly felt faster than before. Maybe, faster, wasn't accurate. More intense - rapid. Springing forward and hurling himself across the ground as if a cannonball, the boulder flew right over him. The only thing the golem could do in time to meet his charge was to throw a haymaker of a punch - which to its surprise - Nyx met with one of his own.

What had just moments before been certain death for the demon, Nyx took head-on. After all, those fifteen points of mana hadn't just gone to empower his body. [Arcanic Rake]. But his fists too were brimming with raw magical power.

The shower of rubble that flew in every direction as the golem's arm exploded riddled both Nyx and it. The demon tumbled across the ground and came to in a heap of stone and dust. The golem had been downed once more, but this time looked like it wasn't getting back up. The light of its eyes had dulled and it struggled to move its massive frame, chips and chunks of rock cascading off it at the mere movement.

Nyx managed to prop himself up with his hand - the only one that responded to him. The other was shattered, broken in more places than he could count. Although fixable and not crippling to someone like him anymore, it wouldn't be seeing any use for a couple of days. It had been worth it though. To match and overcome the golem's raw strength was something he'd do all over again, even knowing the consequences and pain he now felt. This was the feeling of undeniable victory. Glory and pride. Vainful, just as he liked it.

Approaching the golem, he stared down at it, noting the elemental's faint ethereal gaze on him. It was dying. It no longer had any mana to regenerate - so Nyx put it out of its misery. Well... could elementals even feel pain? It sure had seemed like the golem had been more pissed than hurt by his every attack. Oh, well. Nyx shrugged then his tail descended, crushing the giant's head into the rubble with ease now that the magic wasn't holding it together.

[LVL: 32 - Lesser Rock Golem has been slain!]

[You receive 8252 points of experience for the kill]

Congratulations! You have accrued enough experience to gain one level!

LVL: 25 → 26

As a Vainlord "Greater Demon", you receive two points in Strength, Intelligence, Charisma, and four additional unallocated attribute points per level.

As a Warlock "Adept", you receive one point in Vitality and Endurance, two points in Intelligence, and one additional unallocated attribute point per level.

[You have five unallocated attribute points, spend them before a week, or they will be automatically assigned.]